Watch Kids' Reviews of
SHIMAJIRO AND THE RAINBOW OASIS

I was intrigued by this film's title, Rainbow Oasis. I was very curious about what this film was all about, having never hears of a rainbow oasis before. I definitely believe that a child would enjoy this because everything is so colorful and very interactive. The quality is great, especially the animation. The background music fits in nicely and really sets the mood, such as the time they are being chased by a snake. I also like the costumes. A child can easily relate to the storyline. It uses vocabulary and concepts that kids will understand. Coco and her mom live in the desert, so it is awesome to see them wear something different than Shimanjiro and his friends. You can also see the cultural differences. This movie flows very well. I also love that there is a six minute break in the middle of the movie for little kids. The movie makes sense, and even though this is for younger audiences, I was entertained. The only bad thing about this film is that at one point, instead of the characters being animated, they switch to puppets and then back to animation which was confusing. I believe kids ages 3 to 7 will love this, so I recommend it for the KIDS FIRST! Film Festival. I give it 5 out of 5 stars. Reviewed by Jolleen M., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic

see youth comments

Shimajiro and his friends meet Coco, a girl who was separated from her mother during a severe sandstorm. They decide to help Coco find her mother, leaving Dr. Roarson behind to repair the Dig-Bug so they can all go home. This is the fifth movie starring a tiger boy named Shimajiro, and it was screened in movie theaters around Japan. The movie has been conceived to be a child's first movie theater experience, and has been designed in a way that will hold the attention of a young audience throughout the film. Each child is given a cardboard megaphone that they are encouraged to use at various times by the story's characters to cheer them on or shout a particular phrase, and even use as a weapon to thwart the film's villain. The film itself features a wide variety of entertainment, from sing-alongs to dance-alongs, puppet animation, and regular animation. Japanese screenings of the movie come with a short break in the middle, while the lighting and sound in the theater are adjusted to give the children the most comfortable experience possible.